Toggle actuated switch



May 3, 1949.

N. H. KOERTGE 2,469,119

TOGGLE ACTUATED SWITCH Filed Dec. 20, 1946 a I p I J -zii:

5 an-37 36 20 5 l7 /8 /5 20 IN V EN TOR. 7

Patented May 1949 2,469,119

stares PATENT OFFICE E x x fma assignmto l 'arnaa lzcmhg'empany. Batavia, lll., oar- Applioatlan December 2Q, loss, Serial No. 117,522 I Claims. (cl. zoo-say a present 'invention prominent: :in the art of manufacturing electrical rapid deterioration thereof. control apparatus; and relates more specifically to These and other objects and advantages of the improvements in the construction and operation invention will be apparent irom the following deolv'elcctriciswitchea ofthe general type shown in 5 tailed description. dreamt-No; 2,193,128, granted March 12, 1940. A clear conception of the features constituting the above identified my present improvement, and or the construction prior patent; it haa herctofore been proposed to and operation of a typical toggle actuated elecpmvide faiiliuwpressure motivated compact electric switch embodying the invention, may be had tric switch a ssemblagewherein the movable conby referring to the drawing accompanying a snap action by means of and forming a part of this specification. wherein toggiemeehanisminterposed betweenthereclproli rence characters designate the same or cable contact carrlers-and a diaphragm which is similar parts in the various views.

relatesin general toimthe switch contacts so as to positively prevent ilened brithe nuid re sure. while these rior Fig. l is a partial elevation and part transverse switche's'hav'agone into'extensive successful com-' is central vertical section through a typ fl id mercial usefland have proven quite satisfactory, pressure motivated toggle actuated electric 1tuw been1mmd. that th movabl eontaet switch, having the improvement embodied theretherecfifrequentlyiclose with a double click due in and s owing the actuating togsle i na iv togthegactiomoi themain toggle springs. and this position While e contacts are lo doubletclickingwis detrimental to the electrical 8- 2 s a s mewhat similar view of the same contact-a Lhave discovered that such detrimenswitch assemb a e. t s ow n t e actuating taizdoublexcllckinglol the nt t may b du toggle in active position with the switch contacts eliminatedsso raslto considerably prolong the life Open;

oiztheset'electric: switches,- by utilizing a simple Fig; 3 is a transverse horizontal section through auxiiiaryafspringeforpreventing slow or delayed 35 the switch with the closure cover removed, and cmg gcflon'ggndapogslble b d of t mayshowing a plan view of the improved snubber and able* oontactsrdand such lifesprolonging devices leaf sprin nd mayzzbeyreadiiy gapplied either to existing or new. 18. 4 is a side view of the same switch assemswitch assemblagesofxthe patented type, a ll blage showing the range adjusting mechanism as m g et g u for the toggle impact plate and a section through -ltziszgtherefore; a primary-obiect of my inventhe m in tiorr to DmVideQasimp1e-md eflecflv mstmmen- While the invention has been shown and detalme-s.forggreaflyigmpmvmg.theaction of toggle scribed herein by way of illustration as being opemted electricgswjtche by n l ti double readily and advantageously applicable to a fluid clicking of the snap actuated movable contacts pressure ivat d and le a tuated electric of such devicesL- l2 9 =7; .J. a switch of the type specifically revealed in the pat- Another, object, 3 the present, inve ti i t cut above referred to, it is not my desire or inten- DI'OVlde lmproved meangafor prolonging the life tion t0 unnecessarily limit the scope or utility of and usemln'esg -.,o1';;--snap actuated el tri toggle the improvement by virtue of this restricted emswitches; iespeciallyioiithesabove described type. 40 bodiment.

AfmhClDbJWtiOf this inventionis to provide Referring to the drawing, the improved fluid a;'simpleand. durable;v auxiliary spring which is pressure motivated and toggle actuated electric e'fl tively ooperable lthl a main spring actuswitch shown therein, comprises in general a cupfitedjogglmfiopp'evnt rebound of th toggle etushaped main lower casing 6 having a central botated elementror-lmemberm a I tom opening which is normally sealed by means ,Stflhanother-pbieehof -the invention is to proor a flexible diaphragm I coacting at its top with vide anzimproveddmpactmember for switch cona flat movement transfer plate 8 having a U- tactactuatingtoggleslorthelike, which may be haped member 9 secured centrally there a readilyzlapniiedlitoseiectric switchesat moderate main approximately horizontal lever l0 having cost, andtwhichiflmctions-automatically to ellmia medial notch ll coacting with the upper points nate' doubljeclickingptthe contacts. 1 of the member 9 and being fulcrumed at one end additional-object ornLv invention is to proupon hardenedbearings i 2 secured to the spaced videranpimprovedzfluid pressure-motivated toggle side walls of a rigid frame l3; a pair of similar aetuatedelectricswitchassemblage provided with laterally spaced upright helical compression simple rmeansqforiimproving the snap action of springs l8 coasting with the other swinging end of the main lever l3 and constantly urging the lever notch ll against the points of the member 3 in opposition to the action of the diaphragm I; an approximately horizontal helical tension spring It having one end detachably connected by a pin I! to ears l3 formed integral with the swingin end of the toggle lever ill, while its opposite end is attached to the swinging end portion of a toggle striker or impact plate I! which is fulcrumed to swing about V-shaped sockets 23 also carried by the frame l3; one or more laterally spaced contact carrier bars 22 slidably mounted in a contact supporting block 23 and having lower ends disposed in proximity to the swinging end of the striker plate II, the bars 22 also being provided at their upper ends with movable switch contacts 24 adapted to engage adjacent fixed switch contacts 2! supported upon the block 23; an auxiliary leaf spring 23 secured to the striker plate l3 by screws or rivets 21 and having a flexible upwardly biased outer end portion 23 engageable with the lower ends of the contact carrier bars 22; mechanism for varying the compression of the springs l3 and the range of travel of the striker plate l3; and suitable closures including a top cover 23 and a lower plate 33, the latter having a pipe connection for conducting fluid under pressure from any desired source to the diaphragm flexing chamber 3| to which the bottom of the diaphragm I is constantly exposed.

The main lower casing 3, transfer plate 3, push member 3, toggle lever l3, frame l3, toggle member or impact plate i3, cover 23, and lower plate 33 may all be formed of sheet metal of suitable thickness, with the aid of punches and dies: and the diaphragm l is preferably formed of flexible material such as rubber, and is firmly clamped between the casing 3 and lower plate 33 so as to seal the pressure fluid confining chamber 3|. The compression springs l5 which coact with the lever it should be provided with suitable means for varying-the compression thereof, and the extent of downward swinging of the toggle impact plate I3 is adjustable with the aid of mechanism such as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, so that the functioning of the switch may be readily varied to meet different conditions of operation.

The upward swinging motion of the impact plate i3 is arrested by flxed stops 32, and the mechanism for varying the range of travel of this upon the supporting block 2! may be connected to conductors 43, and the movable contact carrier bars 22 should be freely slidably confined in the block 23 with their lower ends protruding into the path of swing of the toggle impact plate It. In order to insure proper closing of the movable contacts 23 from fully open position and with a snap action under the influence of the springs 33, it is necessary that the restraining pressure exerted against the lower ends of the bars 22 when the contacts 23 are being held in open position. be quickly released; and it is also desirable to open the switch with a similar snap action and to maintain the movable contacts 23 fully open after each snap action has taken place.

The auxiliary leaf spring 23 which is mounted upon the toggle impact plate II by means of the rivets 21 is provided for the purpose of insuring such proper closing and opening of the movable contacts 23 with a snap action. and thus avoiding double clicking and undesirable rebound. This auxiliary spring 23 has its free portion 23 biased away from the swinging end of the plate l3 and toward the lower ends of the bars 22; and a curved u snubber leaf spring 3| which is also secured to the impact plate l3 by the rivets 2l, enacts with the opposite side portions of the leaf spring 23 so as to prevent undesirable vibration thereof and thus prolong its life. The springs 23, 3| should be formed of durable metal, and may obviously be applied to the striker plates I3 of either existing or new switches without in any manner interfering with the operation of other parts.

When the improved switch assembly has been a properly constructed as above described, it may be connected to a suitable source of fluid under pressure and to the motor or other electrical devices to be controlled, and after the tension of the compression springs II has been properly a adjusted, the normal operation will be as follows.

plate, consists of a stop lever 33 having its medial portion swingably connected to one side wall of the rigid main frame l3 by a pivot pin 33, while one end of the lever 33 is adapted to engage the lower face of the plate I! and the opposite end thereof engages a vertically adjustable block 35. This block is snugly but slidably confined between the casing 5 and an integral side plate 33 of the frame 33, and is vertically adjustable with the aid of an adjusting screw 31 lournalled on the frame plate 33. Since the striker plate i3 is fulcrumed in the fixed V-shaped sockets 23 and is swingable across the axis of the toggle spring It with a snap action, movement of the block 33 up or down, will naturally vary the extent of swing of the plate I! by varying the location of the stopping end of the lever 33.

The contact carrier bars 22 and the contact supporting block 23 may be formed of any suitable insulating material, and the bars 22 are surrounded near their upper ends by compression springs 33 which tend to urge the adjacent movable contacts 24 toward closed position at all times. The flxed contacts 23 which are mounted Assuming the switch contacts 23, 23 to be closed as shown in Pig. 1, with the toggle impact lever H in its lowermost position as determined by the stop lever 33 and the auxiliary leaf spring 23 out of engagement with the lower protruding ends of the movable contact carrier bars 22, as the fluid pressure in the chamber 3i increases. the diaphragm I will be flexed upwardly thereby raising the plate 3 and push member 3. This upward movement of the member 3 will elevate the swinging end of the lower lever l3 against the springs l3, and will simultaneously stretch the toggle spring it slightly and will carry the axis of this spring upwardly until this axis crosses the toggle center line or plane.

As soon as the axis of the tension spring l3 crosses the toggle center, the upper toggle impact plate l3 will be swung upwardly with a snap action about its fulcrum sockets 23 against the stops 32 as shown in Fig. 2, and during this rapid displacc ment of the plate I! by the spring II, the outer end portion 23 of the auxiliary leaf spring 23 will initially contact the lower ends of the movable contact carrier bars 22 and will flex downwardly into approximate engagement with the outer end of the plate I9. While this action is taking place, the movable contact closing springs 33 will be subjected momentarily and gradually to slight pressure exerted by the flexing spring 23, but this slight pressure will immediately be followed by the impact exerted by the relatively heavy plate II as it swings against the stops 32. Any tendency on the part of this plate I! to rebound from the steps 32 will however be absorbed by the auxiliary leaf spring 23 which will prevent the springs 33 from returning the movable contacts 26 to closed poai tion after they have once begun to open.

When the fluid pressure within the chamber Ii decreases, the heavy compression springs II will move the swinging end of the main toggle lever l0 downwardly thereby causing the member 9 and plate 8 to flex the diaphragm I downwardly, and simultaneously lowering the axis of the toggle spring I. As this spring axis again crosses the toggle center line or plane while thus being lowered, the upper toggle impact plate I! wil swing downwardly about the fulcrum sockets toward the stop lever II, and during the initial part of this lowering movement of the plate IS, the auxiliary spring 28 will remain fiat against the plate II as this plate begins to swing downwardly, until the greater combined strength of the springs has closed the movable contacts ll. when these contacts 24 have thus been closed, the spring 2 becomes effective to snap the plate ll toward the stop lever 83, and this action of the leaf spring 26 eliminates double clicking by preventing possible repeated engagement of the bars 22 with the impact plate is after the contacts 2| have actually been closed. The downward movement of the plate II which is initiated by the spring 28 is of course augmented by the toggle spring is.

The opening and clomng oi the switch contacts may be thus rapidly repeated without danger of contact deterioration due to double clicking or arcing resulting from momentary delay in the movement of the impact bar IS. The snubber spring ll functions to prevent undesirable vibration of the auxiliary leaf spring 20 when the latter has been released from engagement with the contact carrier bars 22, and the spring 26 is so formed and coacts with the curved snubber in such manner that the pressure exerted by the outer transverse spring portion 28 gradually but quickly diminishes as the outer side portions of the spring 28 roll along the adjacent curved surface of the snubber spring 4 I The range of throw of the impact member of plate is may also be readily varied by merely adjusting the screw 31, and the pressure range of operation of the switch may be just as conveniently varied by adjusting the tension of the main springs i5.

From the foregoing detailed description it should be apparent that the present invention provides an improved toggle actuated electric switch assemblage which is simple and compact in construction and highly eiilcient in operation, and wherein deterioration due to ineifective closing and opening of the contacts resulting from the action of the toggle is positively eliminated. The auxiliary spring 26 and its snubber spring 4i may be readily applied to the toggle impact member or plate IQ of old or new switches, without interferin with the normal operation of other parts of the assemblage, and this spring 26 is especially adapted to eliminate double clicking of the contacts. It has been found that the embodiment of the improved devices greatly prolongs the life of toggle actuated switches of the type shown herein, and is applicable thereto at but slight additional cost; and it has also been discovered that the use of the snubber spring II in conjunction with the auxiliary leaf spring 26 materially increases the life of the latter.

It should be understood that it is not desired to limit this invention to the exact details of construction or to the precise mode of operation, herein shown and described, for various modifications within the scope of the appended claims may occur to persons skilled in the art; and it is furthermore contemplated that specific descriptive terms used herein be given the broadest possible interpretation consistent with the disclosure.

I claim:

1. An electric switchcomprising. a contact support, a fixed contact mounted upon said support,

a a movable contact having a carrier bar slidably cooperable with said support to guide said contacts for coaction with each other, resilient means for constantly urging said movable contact toward said fixed contact, a toggle having a rigid impact member for opening and closing said contacts with a snap action, a leaf spring interposed between said impact member and said bar for preventing double clicking of said contacts. and a snubber with which said leaf spring is gradually increasingly engageabie and cooperable to prevent destructive vibration of the latter.

2. An electric switch comprising, a contact support, a iixed contact mounted upon said support, a movable contact having a carrier bar slidably cooperable' with said support to guide said contacts for coaction with each other, resilient means for constantly urging said movable contact toward said fixed contact, a toggle having a rigid impact plate the swinging end of which is cooperable with said movable contact carrier bar to open and to permit closing of said contacts, a leaf spring carried by said plate between said impact plate end and said contact carrier bar for preventing double clicking of said contacts. and means for preventing destructive vibration of said leaf spring.

3. An electric switch comprising, a contact support, a fixed contact mounted upon said support, a movable contact having a carrier bar slidably cooperable with said support to guide said contacts for coaction with each other, resilient means for constantly urging said movable contact toward said fixed contact, a toggle having a rigid impact plate the swinging end of which is cooperable with said movable contact carrier bar to open and to permit closing of said contacts, a leaf spring carried by said plate between said impact plate end and said contact carrier bar, and a snubber spring gradually increasingly engageable with said leaf spring to retard vibration thereof.

4. An electric switch comprising, a stationary contact support, a fixed contact mounted upon said support, a movable contact having a carrier bar slidably engaging said support to guide said movable contact for cooperation with said fixed contact, a spring for constantly urging said movr able contact toward said fixed contact, a toggle having a rigid impact plate swingable toward and away from said bar to open and to permit closing of said contacts, and a leaf spring mounted upon the swinging portion of said plate and being cooperable directly with said bar to eliminate double clicking of said contacts, and means carried by said plate for preventing destructive vibration of said leaf spring.

5. An electric switch comprising, a stationary upon the swinging portion of said plate and being cooperable directly with said bar to eliminate a-iat, 1o

7 double clicking or said contacts. and a snubber and having curved portions gradually increasspring gradually increasingly engageabie with ingiy engageable with said resilient aide portion:

said leaf spring to retard vibration thereof. to retard vibration of said leaf spring.

6. An electric switch comprising, a stationary contact support, a fixed contact mounted upon 5 NOBIL 1!. KOBTGI. said support, a movable contact having a carrier element sligably engaging! sacig supportsaito F ERENCIS CITED guide said mova e contact or coo. on with d "an" fixed contact, a spring for constantly urging said t $22 3 3. m a W m m l movable contact toward said fixed contact, a lo i snap actuated toggle member having a rigid por- UNITED STATES PAI'INTB tion movable toward and away from an end of Number Name m i said contact carrier element, a leaf spring car- 1,903 924 m w 18 "a ried by said member and having a flexible por- 33km W" "36 tion spaced from said rigid portion and engage- 15 3,033 417 mu was able directly with said element and laterally sep- 2,193'120 l'urnas Mar 1: 1940 mud side portions 2 1 connecting said flexible portion with said mem- 1 3 m' A" 1:

her, and a snubber mounted upon said member 

